61 Oyamo Oyamo

The rainless dark cloud and the smiling winds was a phenomenon only known by the seers. The tribe head himself did not know about it. When visiting places, he could see dark clouds appear on the sky and the winds blow gently but never understood why. He had asked his wise men to explain it to him but none understood. Unfortunately, of all the gifted people or the people with magical abilities like seers, sorcerers, witches, wizards, Ordainers and others in Lu tribe, the tribe head had never thought this aspect was only understood by the seers. Amollo Orengo aside, not even his predecessors could fathom the phenomenon.

The Lu tribe heads were sworn in by the general seer of the tribe. This seer was the most powerful one. When he swore in the tribe head, he gave powers unique to this lofty person. Seers were used by 'Were' as his messengers. They spoke to this supreme spirit directly to know the future. The fate of the whole tribe was in their hands thence the profound respect the people had for them. The only reason why they were not used as helpers to Ordainers was because they had a lot of responsibilities in their respective divisions and that is why their knowledge concerning Ordainers was as limited as any other ordinary person. The One from above nevertheless chose wizards to help the Ordainers, the reason why they knew a lot about these chosen ones. From this, it can be said that in Lu tribe, seers were the most powerful people even though they kept a low profile.

Thousands of years before Amollo ascended to the tribe head's stool, the very first tribe head of Lu tribe was given 'orengo' that was cut from the tail of a flying cow beast by a seer from those times. This beast was a daunting creature to other beasts but very compassionate to human beings. Before it died, it asked the general seer of that time to cut its tail to protect the Lu tribe.

That seer decided to invite his confreres to the tribe shrine and together they cast a spell on the beast tail or rather the 'orengo' to add more power to it. After some conjurations, the 'orengo'became an object of power. It's bearer could be unvanquishable wherever he went. Since not anyone could bear it, the seers decided to make the object the tribe head's. Therefore, it became an ordinary tail to any other person but a powerful artifact to the tribe head. With it, he could pierce through everything with a lot of ease. He became an indomitable god of battle that not even tribe heads from other tribes could match him. Within the tribe it gave him power to rule such that nobody could dare have malevolent thoughts against him. In the battle that took place a few days ago, he was hurt just because he left the 'orengo' in his palace. Otherwise, the battle could still be won by the Lu warriors even if Ochieng' did not come in.

As for the rainless clouds and the smiling winds, that was an inherent power the general seer secretlygave the tribe head during the inauguration ceremony. It was to help the seers track the movements of the tribe head. This was to ensure he was safe at any given moment. The leader could never know the reason behind the phenomenon because no seer was willing to let him know.

The nimbus had disappeared and the winds were no longer as gentle as they were. The chief's compound was filled with people from Odindi clan. The atmosphere there was vital and everyone was in good moods hosting the tribe head.

The Lu tribe was huge with several clans. The tribe head could take not less than five years just visiting the clans. If he visited a clan, for him to come back, he had to take several seasons since he was visiting other clans as well as attending to his duties as a tribe head.

"I was only a child when you ascended to the stool tribe head. It was only a few days after your father visited this clan. By then I was only twenty seasons old, time has fled and sixty seasons have gone by. I am glad to see you when it is only a few seasons since your reign begun." One young man exclaimed in joy.

The tribe was seated with everyone in the chief's compound. He was taking 'kong'o' alongside the elders. Those who were not allowed to take 'kong'o' were taking fermented milk to get along. Women were busy in the chief's wives huts preparing the evening meals.

News concerning Ochieng' was now unconcealed and everyone had leapt with joy praising him. The tribe head had agreed with the people that the next day, they would march to the clan shrine and slaughter fifteen heads of cattle and offer them as sacrifices for 'Were' for bringing victory to the tribe. Their blood would also be poured to the ground for the ancestors to appease them and have them share the tribe bliss.

"I am glad too, what is your name?" The tribe head answered smiling broadly.

"I am Oyamo Oyamo." The young man answered respectfully.

"Why were you given that name? Why were you given a disease name?¹" The tribe head asked with a light frown on his face.

"It is not the disease name, hehe. It is that 'yamo' that means wind. My mother told me her great grandmother had told her that I would be a strong child. She said I would be as agile as the leopard and swift like the wind. That is why I was named Oyamo Oyamo." The young man explained rather proudly.

"Oyamo Oyamo, apart from chasing grasshoppers when we go for grazing, what else do you know?" One young man interjected what made others including the tribe head burst out in laughter.

"If Oyamo is as swift as the winds then I Okombo Diguru is faster than light and agile like smoke."

"Hahaha! If Okombo is faster than light then I Ombemo Mong'o can teleport."

"Fools! What have you cowards done with your speed and agility? I have faced a lion before and killed it! I have also saved my goats from the jaws of a crocodile near River Loka...."

"Haha! Ondondo only knows how to eat guavas and kill frogs. I wonder when these became crocodiles and lions."

...

As the young men were involved in their sarcasm, the elders and the tribe head were laughing enjoying the party.

"Instead of bluffing here, why don't we have wrestling matches to prove to the community who is stronger than the other? I believe the tribe head will be happy to watch!" One Sando Amimo said throwing a playful smile at the tribe head.

The head of the tribe nodded his head immediately in approval. The young men leapt at the center of the compound where the dueling ring was. Everyone's eyes shone with excitement. Wrestling or 'amen' was one of the greatest sources of excitement in this tribe and others. Now that most of the young men were from war, it wasn't a bad thing to be excited especially when they had the head of the tribe with them.

"Oyamo Oyamo, come and prove your name before the chief and the tribe head by dueling with me." Sando Amimo was the first one to offer a challenge.

Oyamo Oyamo did not waste even a single second. He immediately walked towards Sando, leaving the crowd clapping with exhilaration.

Sando did not want to waste even a second, he swooped down on Oyamo ferociously like a lioness that had gone hungry for days. Oyamo did not dare to collide head on with Sando. He swiftly dodged to the side making Sando fall hard on the ground with his handsome face sinking in earth. Smartly enough, Sando managed to control his fall so that his back could not touch the ground. That could be considered his lose if it happened.

Sando stood up revealing his dusty front. Oyamo did not even give his opponent time to dust himself. He charged at Sando at breathtaking speed. The two were locked in a vigorous duel after a second, each trying not to let his opponent put his back on the ground. After fifteen minutes, when both were covered with sweat and were panting heavily, Oyamo managed to make Sando lie with his back on theground. Oyamo had won.

Those in Oyamo's support were clapping cheerfully. The tribe head was nodding his head approvingly. Oyamo had proved himself.

Even in his tired state, Oyamo still challenged those who had mocked him before and sent them to the ground as easily as cutting grass. This led to a total silence in the scene. Everyone was looking at him admiringly. Thereafter those who had lost to him challenged themselves. The dueling ring was shrouded by a fog of dust during these young men's intense fights.

"So it is true you are as swift as the winds Oyamo. You are slightly older than Ochieng'. I would like to see a match bet..."

The tribe head smiled at the young man who stood like an indomitable warrior at the center of the dueling ring. They had no reason for standing with him on the ring because they were like ants before him. Even though they fought with each other after a duel with Oyamo, the latter did not leave the ring but watched with a rather bored face. After they were done, they had descended one by one leaving the young man standing alone on the ring.

"I cannot fight that monster tribe head." Even before the tribe head finished, Oyamo had already turned down the offer.

"I believe I am not the monster Oyamo is talking about."

Behind the crowd, a voice of a young man resounded. Everyone turned their heads only to see a smiling young handsome man standing next to a young woman who looked like an ethereal maid sent from heaven. The air around her could make any normal man feel like pouncing on her to satisfy his desires.She was smiling as well adding an infallible charm to her unparalleled beauty.

1. 'Yamo' is a Luo name for boil that mostly attacks the fingers and the toe. The word is also used to refer to winds especially strong winds.